


Soul Wrenching

by Selene467



Series: The Avenging Spider [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Angst, Character Death, Dad Steve, Gen, Hurt Peter, Spider Bite, Superfamily (Marvel), Worried Steve Rogers, Worried Tony, dad tony
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-02-06 16:25:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12821406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selene467/pseuds/Selene467
Summary: Peter falls ill after the spider bite and returns home to his concerned dads. Everything seems fine until they hear screaming in the middle of the night.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Daemons are borrowed from the bookseries "His Dark Materials" or if more familiar with the film "The Golden Compass".
> 
> All you really need to know is that Daemons are the physical manifestation of a persons' soul in the form of an animal. 
> 
> This is my 2nd Marvel related story but my first Superfamily tagged one. If you're not a fan of Tony/Steve it is mild and limited to one small scene. The focus is on Peter so you'll have to judge for yourself whether to read it or skip it.

Peter was breathing heavily by the time he stepped into the elevator of the Avengers' tower, his home. Cold sweat trickled down his back causing him to shiver. His stomach churned unpleasantly and he felt far too warm to be comfortable. As he leaned heavily against the wall, a familiar voice responded to his presence.  
  
"Good evening, Peter. It is currently one hour and 24 minutes past your curfew."  
  
"Hey Jarvis, yeah sorry about that. I guess they're waiting for me?"  
  
"You would be correct, young sir. Good luck."  
  
"Thanks JARVIS."  
  
Peter grimaced at knowing what was waiting for him upstairs. His dads were protective and quick to worry which considering who they were and how many enemies they probably had, wasn't a bad thing. They just got a little overprotective with Peter.  
  
The elevator came to a gentle stop at the right floor, the doors opening to reveal none other than his dads. Peter sighed internally, not feeling up to this but having no coice in the matter. He pushed off from the wall with more effort than was considered normal and immediately the stern faces morphed into concern and previosuly crossed arms reached forward as if to steady him. Peter usually dodged such attempts but his world shifted sideways dangerously, so he allowed them to steady him and almost literally pull him out of the elevator, his bag dragging behind him as he lacked the strength to lift it up.  
  
"Peter, what's wrong?" His pops asked him as he brushed the sticky hair from his forehead.  
  
Peter was still processing the question when he found himself seated on the couch, his pops face in front of him looking intently into his eyes and it occurred to Peter far too slowly that he was still waiting for an answer. He was prevented from answering by his dad's concerned voice from somewhere to his left.  
  
"Where's Kalyca?"  
  
A tingle of alarm shot through Peter as he tried to remember. Being reminded of Kalyca suddenly made Peter aware of his dads daemons flitting about, more concerned than his dads even because they didn't have anyone to fuss over like them.  
  
His dad's raccoon, Basil, was walking back and forth on the back of the couch, leavinga brush of cool air in Peter's neck every time he passed by him. Qatara, on the other hand, was seated perfectly beside his pops, ears switching between up and alert and flat in the neck in concern.  
  
"Peter," His pops hands gently held his face forcing Peter to look at him. "Where is she, son?"  
  
Peter inhaled shakily as another shiver surged through him and he blinked several times before finally managing to answer through his fevered thoughts.  
  
"Bag."  
  
He realised now why his bag had felt so heavy when he'd dragged it behind him earlier. He'd forgotten that Kalyca had climbed in his bag when they both began to feel ill.  
  
His dad immediately reached for the bag dropped beside the couch, pulling it open and releasing a sigh of relief at having found her. Basil jumped down beside him and gently pulled her out, revealing a wealth of frazzled fur and unclear eyes once they opened blearily at being removed from her hiding place.  
  
"We don't feel so good."  
  
Kalyca's words came out in a slur as she hung almost limply in Basil's hold. She shivered and abruptly curled into a tight ball, Peter mimicking her almost exactly a few seconds after.  
  
"Let's get you two in bed. I think you're coming down with something."  
  
Peter offered no resistance when his pops lifted him into his arms and carried him to the bedroom. Everything had turned into a blur of movement and actions and before he knew it both himself as Kalyca were tucked into bed and blissfully drugged by medicine and painkillers.  
  
Explaining the reason for being so late would come later. For now, Peter had no strength or consciousness left to tell them about sneaking into Oscorp or make up an excuse so he _wouldn't_ have to tell them about sneaking into Oscorp.

* * *

  
Steve was just turning back the bedspread when Qatara's ears shifted and her head came up turning towards the doorway. Basil came jogging into the room jumping onto the bed beside Qatara and promptly began cleaning his fur, clearly agitated. Tony followed suit clenching and unclenching his hands as he walked to his side of the bed and began to get ready for bed.  
  
Qatara huffed her annoyance at their silence but remained otherwise silent, allowing Steve to handle this. She did nudge Basil non-to-gently before abruptly licking across his nose and getting the expected and intended reaction. A screech and a short tussle later and Basil was in a gentle dead-lock by Qatara, forced to endure her gently nosing him in an attempt to comfort him.  
  
Tony stood as still as a statue while it was going on, completely unaware of Steve approaching him until he felt the hand on his arm gently but firmly turning him around. Tony refused to look at him though, not wanting the gentle reassurances he was sure were coming. He'd much rather stew in his anxiety, thank you very much.  
  
"Tony, hey, look at me." Steve released his arm and both hands grabbed hold of his face and refused to let go even as Tony tried to wiggle free. "It's just the flu or something. JARVIS would pick up on anything life threatening. Peter is going to be fine."  
  
Finally Tony gave in, how could he not. Steve had that affect on him, damn his very fine husband. "I know...I know, I just hate to see the kid suffer. He's suffered enough already in his life. "Tony placed his hands on Steve's for a moment before gently prying them off and continuing his task of getting ready for bed. "I hate being useless."  
  
"You're not useless, Tony. Just being there for him is enough. Let's get some rest, you certainly look like you need it."  
  
Before Tony could indignantly retaliate, Steve had already moved out of reach. Pretending to be offended, only slightly pretending, Tony got in bed beside his husband, Basil making himself comfortable on a pillow beside the bed, Qatara stretching out on her own on Steve's side.  
  
Peter would be fine. That was the last thought in his head as Tony drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Tony was no stranger to nightmares, especially when he was worried about something or someone. In this case, Peter. So the nightmares that followed that night were not unexpected. What was unexpected was waking up abruptly from a nightmare, only to feel as if he were still dreaming. Emergency lighting was flashing in his room and from the sudden movement beside him, Tony knew Steve had awoken too and was already up. Tony quickly followed his lead, sparing a quick glance to find Basil nervously fidgeting on his nightstand, before turning his attention to JARVIS. 

"What is going on, JARVIS?"

"Medical emergency! Mr. Parker is having trouble breathing, is in severe pain and his heart rate is reaching dangerous levels."

Steve was out the door in a heartbeat, Tony rapidly following him although there was no feasable chance of him keeping up with the supersoldier. "Alert Banner!" Tony ordered JARVIS as he ran.

Steve had likely already reached Peter's room by now but before Tony could find out he stopped dead in his tracks because of what he suddenly heard. Screaming. Terrible screaming coming from Peter's room, from Peter himself. It sounded like he was being murdered and didn't that bring to mind all kinds of horrifying images. Basil suddenly screeched in distress as he flattened himself to the ground. Daemons rarely screeched like that as it sounded unnatural and pointed out how deeply terrified and vulnerable they were at that moment. Tony reached down to comfort his daemon, confused as to why Basil would shows such behaviour when normally it was only used in the most extreme of situations, usually when a daemon was dying itself or its human. Before Tony could touch Basil a similar screech tore through the hallway and it wasn't coming from Basil. 

Tony jumped up and ran the rest of the way, grinding to a halt in the open doorway taking in the terrible chaos inside. 

Peter was tossing and turning and kicking and screaming on the bed as Steve did his every best to hold the teenager down while Kalyca was writhing on the floor in the middle of the room screeching her death rattle with Qatara pacing circles around her at a loss for how to help. 

"Steve?!" Tony didn't know what to ask precisely. All he knew in that moment was utter fear for his son.

Peter was screaming his throat raw, throwing his limbs around wildly with no concern for who he might hit or how badly he might hurt himself in the process. If they didn't stop him soon, he'd end up bashing his head on something. Steve was always careful not to use too much strength at home, especially with Peter but now was not the time to be gentle.

"Steve, hold him still! He's going to hurt himself!"

"I'm trying, Tony!"

"Oh come on,  _captain._ He's a skinny teenager and you're a supersoldier. I know you don't want to hurt him, but he's going to hurt himself if you don't give a little more."

"I'm serious, Tony! I'm using almost everything I've got!"

Steve's gaze was clear and honest, there was no lie there. He truly was giving it his all and yet Peter was giving him a hard time. Scrawny, unathletic Peter was giving Captain freakin' America a hard time?!

"JARVIS, where is Banner?!"

Tony barely heard the estimated time of arrival for Banner, his attention on Peter who had gone from scremaing to whimpering and wailing, still struggling against Steve's hold on him. Fearing the worst, he turned around to see how Kalyca was doing. His blood ran cold at the sight.

_"Impossible!"_

Kalyca's skin was moving, shifting as if she were trying to  _change!_ But that was impossible. She was settled! She'd taken her permanent form. No daemon could shift once they settled. It was impossible! And yet there was no other explanation for what was happening. How often in his youth has he seen Basil shift to try out new forms. 

" _Please, help me. Make it stop!"_

"Peter! Can you hear me? Can you look at me? What is happening, son? Peter!? Peter!"

Peter went limp in Steve's arms, his eyes rolling into the back of his head and his breathing slowed down considerably. Kalyca was in a similar state, as if life had just drained from both of them. 

"No! No, it can't be. Peter! Peter wake up!" Tony dropped beside the bed, shaking his barely alive son, watching the life slip out of him.

"What happened?!"

Tony and Steve looked over their shoulders at a very confused and concerned looking Banner standing in the doorway. Kalyca twitched once more drawing everyone's attention followed by Peter releasing a final breath of air.  

"Mr. Parker has died, sir."

_fin_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story will be multichaptered. Not sure how long, but if I had to guess, between 5 and 8 chapters. Again, not sure. I've got a lot figured out but not everything so depending on how long and easily the chapters get, it could be more.
> 
> Also need suggestions on daemons for May and Ben Parker. Only one's I haven't figured out yet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important fact:  
> This story takes places roughly after the first Avengers film and before any of the phase 2 films of the MCU. Obviously things are different from canon here and there with Peter already in the picture, Tony/Steve pairing etc. So it's not a perfect fit, but at least you'll have some idea of where the characters are at.  
> In my head, I've sort of added two years give or take after Avengers 1 for the couple to actually get together. So kinda messed up the entire timeline :)  
> Fanfiction allows for breaking boundaries after all.
> 
> Russian phrases/words translation jsut requires to mouse-over them. Keep in mind I got the translation from a google translator so they might be wrong.

"Mr. Stark?"  
  
"Depends on who's asking."  
  
"My name is Alan Fredrick. I'm here on behalf of Mr. Parker, sir."  
  
"Richard? I haven't heard from him in years. How is he? What could he possibly want with me?"  
  
"I'm very sorry sir. I'm afraid Mr. Parker has passed away."

"...."

"Mr. Stark? Are you alright?"  
  
"How did it happen?"  
  
"There was a plane accident. Neither he nor his wife made it."  
  
"Mary? Both of them died?"  
  
"Yes sir, I'm very sorry. I know this loss is hard to take, but it is only part of the reason I am here."  
  
"What could you possibly be here for if not to tell me my friend and his wife have died."  
  
"They had a son."  
  
"What does that have to do with me?"  
  
"He has an aunt and uncle who have indicated they'd be happy to take him. However, Richard made a will stating that you, Mr. Anthony Edward Stark have been given custody of Peter Parker, assuming you accept it. If you choose not to take him Benjamin and May Parker will get custody. Do you understand, sir?"  
  
"The bastard used my full name in his will. He knows how much I hate it."  
  
"Sir? Do you understand what I'm asking?"  
  
"Giving me custody of a child? Of Richard's child? He must have gone mad. I'm not parent material."  
  
"Does that mean you decline, Mr Stark? I need your confirmation in that case."  
  
"Yeah, definitely. Kid will be better of with someone else, _anyone_ else. Where do I sign?"  
  
"I've got the papers right here. To be clear. Once you sign this, you will relinquish all rights to Peter Parker. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes, yes, give me already!"  
  
As soon as the pen touched the paper a strange sound distracted Tony. Looking down he saw Basil, his daemon. His attention was drawn to something behind the social worker. Tony couldn't be bothered to remember his name. Following Basil's gaze, Tony froze when he realised he was looking at a young child.  
  
Inside the social worker's car sat a young boy, barely visible through the window, curled in a big blanket. Tony couldn't explain why, but he was drawn to the child. He walked towards the car, opened the door and stared at the solemn boy, who's confused big eyes looked up at him. Silence reigned between them for a while, neither knowing what to say. The kid was probably terrifed, Tony realised. He was nothing but a stranger to the boy and here he was staring at him, not saying a word.  
  
"Hi."  
  
The whisper broke the spell Tony seemed to be under. Having control over his limbs again, Tony kneeled down so as not to tower over the little boy. Basil took this as an invitation and jumped into the kid's lap. With the way the boy was bundled up in the blanket, there was no risk of him touching Basil. Still, the kid tensed for a moment at Basil's action.  
  
"It's alright, he just wants to say hi too."  
  
The young boy tilted his head as he watched Basil, a tiny smile appearing before vanishing just as quickly.  
  
"His name is Basil. I am Tony."  
  
"I know."  
  
"You know me? How?"  
  
"Daddy showed me pictures of you. You were his friend."  
  
Tony felt his throat constrict as strange emotions surged upwards inside him. He hadn't thought of Richard Parker since they parted ways, so many years ago, but it seemed Richard had not forgotten about him. He'd even told his son about him.  
  
"Peter!" A small desert fox crawled out from under the blanket, jumping onto the seat beside Peter. "You're being rude! Introduce yourself."  
  
"Oh right. I'm Peter Parker, sir."  
  
Tony shook off his surprise at the fiesty daemon before putting his hand on Peter's head in a paternal way that was very unlike himself. He just did it on instinct.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Peter. And you weren't being rude, you were distracted."  
  
The fox's ears drooped a little at the minor chastise before flipping upright again. One of Peter's hands removed itself from the blanket and petted her gently and lovingly.  
  
"This is Kalyca. She can be quite direct at times."  
  
"That's alright. I prefer people saying what they mean rather than circling around it."  
  
Basil leaned towards Kalyca, carefully sniffling at her, not wanting to intrude on her space. Not only were he and Tony strangers to them, familiar strangers maybe, but Kalyca and Peter had also suffered a terrible loss recently. Gentle was the way to go.  
Kalyca surprised him by licking Basil's nose before burrowing in Peter's side again as the cold wind from outside howled its way into the car.  
  
"Hey, Peter. Would you like to come inside for a bit? It's pretty cold out tonight and you look like you could use a warm drink. Do you like hot cocoa?"  
  
Peter nodded fervently and scooped Kalyca up in his arms beneath the blanket. Tony helped him out of the car after Basil jumped down, and led him towards his home.  
  
"Go on inside, make yourself comfortable. I'll be right there."  
  
As Peter and Kalyca disappeared slowly into the house, Tony turned to the patiently waiting social worker.  
  
"Are you still ready to sign the papers, sir?"  
  
"Yes, I am. But I'm going to need the other papers."  
  
Tony never regretted to this day changing his mind that night. Adopting Peter was the best thing he ever did. And now, his little boy was gone.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
Tony stood frozen, watching without looking as Steve crumbled beside Peter. Qatara began to howl and Basil shook beside him, unable to hide or control his emotions unlike his human. Tony did nothing to soothe his daemon. He couldn't. Basil's grieve was his own and just like no one could help him, he couldn't help Basil.  
  
"Peter, please."  
  
Tony struggled to hold a tight reign on his emotions as his husband fell apart before his eyes. Luckily he was distracted by movement in the corner of his eye. Raakel was slowly stalking into the room, as if she were afraid to enter. Upon seeing her, a rage overcame Tony and he turned around and grabbed Banner by the front of his shirt and slammed him into the wall.  
  
"WHERE WERE YOU!?"  
  
Raakel hissed threateningly, hair on her back standing up. Basil moved to block her, snarling in response.  
  
"Tony, stop!"  
  
Steve pulled Tony away from Bruce as Qatara grabbed Basil by the neck and carried him away creating some distance. Bruce did not move away or try to strike back for which Steve was grateful. Raakel rubbed against his leg in comfort yet continued softly growling, a clear sign that Bruce was still feeling that surge of anger at Tony's actions, despite not wanting to feel that way. However, there didn't seem to be a risk of the Hulk appearing. Bruce had enough control right now.  
  
"Tony!" Tony had pulled out of Steve's grip angrily pacing and refusing to look at Peter or anyone else. Steve didn't know hwo to help him because he was falling apart himself. He only knew Peter for a few years when he first met Tony, so he had less history with him, but that didn't lessen his love for the kid. Peter was their son and he was dead.  
  
"Tony—"  
  
"Save it, Bruce! There's nothing you can say. My son is dead!"  
  
As if saying it out loud suddenly made it hit home, Tony started breathing heavily and his heart began pounding in his chest.  
  
"Tony, you need to take calm and depp breaths. You're going to hyperventilate."  
  
Tony backed away from Bruce, dodging Steve's reaching hands all the while taking a breath becoming more of chore. Peter was dead. His son was dead. And the last thing he heard from him, was his boy begging for someone to help him, to make the pain stop. Tony's legs gave way and he crashed to the floor in a heap. He didn't have the energy to push Steve away as he held him.  
  
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. Peter, please...."  
  
The grieving parents were interrupted by a loud screech from Raakel. She was standing next to Kalyca, flattening herself to the ground as if afraid or perhaps shocked? The reaosn became apparent clearly when Kalyca took a breath!  
  
"What?!"  
  
Steve carefully stood up but before he could approach Kalyca, a loud gasp came from the bed. Peter had taken a breath!  
  
"Peter!"  
  
Tony was up and beside his son even before Steve had managed to move. He gently turned his head to him, shaking his shoulders ever so slightly, hoping for a response.  
  
"Peter? Can you hear me, kiddo? Peter?"  
  
"We should move him to medical, Tony."  
  
Tony nodded letting Steve gently pull him back when the medical team Bruce had called, arrived to take his son and Kalyca. All that mattered was that Peter was alive. His little boy was alive.

* * *

The slow, steady beep in the otherwise quiet room was only broken occassionally by a deep sigh. Bruce rubbed his hands down his face again as he tried to make sense of what was right in front of him. The data didn’t lie, he’d checked and rechecked it so many times his vision became blurred from lack of sleep. The results on his screen were sound and yet he couldn’t figure out ho wit had happened. The only person he could ask was currently lying in a bed behind him and had yet to wake up since he sort-of-technically died 5 hours ago. 

“Staring at it, is not going to change anything.”

Bruce spared a glance at his daemon, sitting on the edge of the desk, eyes focused not on Bruce but towards Peter, or more precisely Kalyca. Raakel appeared calm but Bruce could feel her unease at the situation through their connection.

“Staring at Kalyca is not going to change anything either.”

“True, but her situation can change, so keeping an eye on her is time well spent, unlike someone else I could mention.”

Bruce purposedly ignored looking at Raakel, not wanting to raise to her baiting, but it was hard to ignore the slight smugness radiating from her end of their bond. He knew exactly what she was getting at, but the prospect of telling the distraught parents what he believed to have happened to Peter was not a good one. Besides he’d much rather wait for Peter to wake up so he could help the teenager through the change first. It was traumatizing enough without the added stress and fear of his parents.

“For god’s sake, Bruce! You can’t keep them out forever!”

Raakel stalked in front of him, blocking his view of the screen and its data, Her ire was clearly projected through the bond and he couldn’t really fault her fort he outburst as she was part of hi mand thus a part of him felt frustrated as well at his lack of action regarding Steve and Tony. They were Peter’s parents, for god’s sake! They deserved to know.

“I know, I know! I just can’t, not yet. Surely you understand, Raakel. You know what it was like.“

Raakel settled down, her temper slipping away like smoke on a breeze. She bubbed her head against Bruce’s in a comforting gesture.

“I know. I’m sorry. It’s hard to see them like this and even harder to know what they will go through.”

Bruce took hold of his daemon, taking what little comfort he could in this situation while returning it to his daemon too. After all, her distress was his distress, her comfort was his comfort.

„I hope they wake up soon.”

Right on cue it seemed, rapid beeps emanated from the heart monitor. Bruce approached the device to see what was wrong while Raakel moved closer to Peter.

"Could he be waking up?" Bruce turned towards the slumbering teen, observing his rapid eye movement behind closed lids. "Peter, can you hear me?"

"I don't think he's waking up, Bruce." Raakel stepped closer to Peter, sniffing the air. "I think, he's dreaming?!"

Bruce reached out to calm the teen but the moment his hand touched Peters' forehead his eyes snapped open as if in shock. Peter moved so suddenly that he caused Bruce to stumble back and when he recovered Peter was no longer on the bed.

"Bruce?" Raakel's voice was distressed, unsettled. Bruce followed her gaze upwards, to the ceiling, where one Peter Parker was hanging from by his feet and fingertips. Bruce's mouth opened out of its own accord as he stared at the teen.

"Peter?"

Peter craned his head backwards to look at him and Bruce could see in the teens' eyes the moment he realised what he was looking at, or rather what _angle_ he was looking _from_. He snapped his head back foreward and stared for a few seconds at his own hands. Then as if his body caught on to his mind, his fingers lost whatever connection allowed them to stick to the ceiling, and Peter came tumbling down.

"Peter!" Bruce moved to try and catch him before he got hurt, but to his surprise Peter landed without trouble on his feet next to the bed. Bruce put a hand to his chest in relieve as he tried to settle his heart rate. "Peter, are you alright?"

Said teen was not looking at him, but rather at his own hands. Peter didn't know how long he stood there, however hurried footsteps thundered down the hallway, drawing his attention away from whatever had just happened to him. No less than four medical people rushed into the room stumbling to a halt as they stared at Peter. The urge to run, to escape became so strong, Peter found himself moving without consciously deciding to do so.

"Peter, wait!" The familiar voice had Peter turning around to face Bruce despite the urge to move, to get away. Something was wrong! "It's alright, Peter. I know things are very confusing right now, but I can help you." Peter wanted to believe him, he really did. Bruce was familiar, safe, someone he trusted. Bruce would make it all better, he always did. Peter moved ever so slightly forward when Bruce suddenly looked alarmed and shouted. "Stop, don't-!"

A hand closed around Peter's upper arm and by reflex Peter pulled his arm forward to free himself causing said person to stumble forward so violently he fell forward and banged his head on a nearby table. He  was out cold instantly. Peter could not believe his luck. What the hell was happening to him?!

"Stop right there! We will restrain you. We mean you no harm, so calm down!"

Peter did not calm down. He didn't know what was happening to him, already he had knocked out two innocent people without even trying and he needed to see his dads.

"All of you stop, you're only making it worse. Get back!" Bruce tried to keep control of the room but it was getting cinreasingly harder to do with everyone confused and frightened. Having the Hulk roar in the back of his mind about threats and anger was not helping. It was costing most of his attention and energy to keep him at bay and form the look of Raakel shaking beside him, he was losing that battle.

"Let me go." 

It was spoken in a whisper and broke Bruce's heart. Peter was confused and scared, it showed in his expression and his stance. His eyes fleeting left and right trying to find a way out. Bruce wished he could check on Kalyca as Peter had yet to make any mention of her, almost as if he'd forgotten about her, but he dared not look away from the teenager who was emotinally unstable while presenting a severe increase in strength and strange ability to stick to ceilings. With Kalyca's  _change_ , Bruce knew something had happened to Peter, but this was beyond his wildest theories. 

"I'm sorry, Peter. We can't do that. I need you to calm down and let me help you."

"No no no no no no..." Peter turned around as his agitation grew.He tried to think back on how he'd gotten here, what had happened to him, but his memory was hazy. All he remembered was pain, so much pain.

"Emergency in medical, send security."

"No stop!" 

It was already too late. Startled by the nurse and the following red lights and alarms, Peter ran for the door pushing past the remaining nurse and doctor who didn't stand a chance as they got thrown nearly across the room. Bruce tried to follow but collapsed onto his hands and knees with a pained groan as the hulk pushed to be released. Raakel snarled as she flattened herself to the floor nearby, watching the green snake its way onto Bruce's skin. 

* * *

Peter was running as fast as he could. He couldn't recall why, only that he had to run. A painful tug in his chest convinced him to stop and draw in desperate breaths of air. The pain did not decrease nor did it increase. Peter was confused and wondered if something was wrong with him. Was this why he was in medical? Was he injured? He couldn't remember. But maybe Kalyca could.  
  
Peter looked around, beside him, behind him. She wasn't anywhere! "Kalyca!?" Where are you?!"  
  
Panic gripped Peter as he turned and turned and looked but Kalyca was nowhere to be seen. His breathing sped up and he started running again. Trying to find her. As he turned a corner he collided with another person who grabbed hold of him before he could fall.  
  
If Peter had been in his rational mind, he would know he was safe in the tower, his home. But he wasn't in his rational mind. He resisted the hold, tried to push this person away. When it didn't work, Peter got angry and pushed with all his might. Horrified he watched the man collide with the wall and drop to the ground unconscious.  
  
"Oh no, no, no, no! I didn't mean to do that?" As he approached, Peter noticed he'd knocked out none other than Clint Barton. He quickly checked for a pulse, relieved when he found one. Illarias his daemon hung from his shoulder, unharmed but out cold much like her human.  
  
Seeing her reminded Peter of Kalyca, or rather Kalyca's absence. The panic and desperation returned full force and he found himself running again before deciding to do so. **  
**

* * *

Tony had never been a patient man, but now even less. Peter was on lockdown in medical after having d-, after ceasing to be alive, and not even Tony _the owner of the goddamn tower_ was allowed to see him. His own son! He’d been ready to tear into Bruce if it weren’t for Steve. His husband was his complete opposite; calm, patient, level headed and ordered. Steve was the reason he was sitting here in the kitchenette, his back to his avenger family seated on the sofa and chairs. They had dropped in one after the other when the news of Peters’ situation had spread throughout the team.  
  
“Tony,.." Steve watched helplessly as Tony refused to meet his eyes. The water and food in front of him went untouched. Basil sat under Tony's chair curled in on himself. Not even Qatara's whines could get a reaction out of him.

Steve mentally sighed, Qatara immediately picking up on it through their bond, and walked into the living area. Tony was shut off, nothing would get him to open up now except news of Peter or said teenager himself. Not to say Steve wasn't worried out of his mind. Peter was his son too and he'd _died_! Be it only a minute or so, but still. He shuddered at the memory prompting Qatara to gently bump her head against his hand, drawing him out of it. He scratched her ear in thanks before looking around the room and noticing someone missing.  
  
“Has anyone seen Clint?”  
  
“He went to the bathroom.”  
  
“That was fifteen, almost twenty minutes ago.”  
  
Worry nagged at Steve, despite being safe in the tower, their home. However, he didn’t want to leave Tony alone either. Natasha seemed ot notice his plight and stood up when an unexpected distraction showed up in the form of Peter stumbling into the room.  
  
“Peter!”  
  
Tony nearly fell on his face in his haste to get to his kid. Too hurried to notice the rapid breathing, the panicked eyes, the wild movements. Tony reached to hug Peter, his very much living son, when Peter pushed him back throwing him clean across the room with little to no effort, only barely missing landing on his own daemon. Steve hurried to his dazed husband, while Qatara growled uneasily.  
  
“Tony! Are you alright?”  
  
“Yeah, I’m think so. What was that?“  
  
All eyes turned to Peter who seemed only to get more distraught, pulling at his own hair to try and alleviate his turmoil. "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. Why is this happening?!”  
  
“Child of iron, what is the purpose of this?”  
  
“Thor no, leave him be. Something is wrong.“  
  
"Fear not, I can handle one human child."  
  
Thor approached Peter with a confident stride, reaching to grab hold of Peter, to restrain him. Peter didn’t even notice him, having turned around as if looking for something. As if he had eyes in his back, he spun around, grabbed Thor’s hand and flung him effortlessly over his back in a pro-wrestling move. He stumbled back as if confused, steadying himself on the wall as Thor, somewhat startled, scrambled back on his feet.  
  
“Impressive, young one. Again!”  
  
Thor moved forward, eager for a good fight, completely forgotten why he had approached Peter in the first place. “Thor stop!” Steve’s warning fell on deaf ears as the Asgardian strode towards Peter. Again Peter deflected his attack, pushing Thor away with one arm sending him crashing into the far wall.  
  
"What the-?“ Tony was at a loss for words as he watched Peter fling a god across the room like it were nothing. Even stranger was Peter tugging on his own arm as if to free himself from the wall.  
  
"Not again. Why is this happening. Just let go!” Peter pulled with his entire body but his hand refused to release the wall. With every tug that failed, he grew angrier and more desperate.   
  
"Peter, I need you to calm down." As Natasha approached low to the ground and slowly, Peter seemed to settle ever so slightly. "I want to help you, маленький шпион . But you need to talk to me. Eyes on me, Peter." Peter's gaze returned to Natasha at the calm command after drifting across the room in search of something again. Nat's calm composure seemed to have an affect on Peter. It surely helped that Peter had been rather close to her. They'd met several times when Peter was very young due to Fury having sent her to spy on Tony, before Tony became an avenger. 

"Talk to me, мой маленький шпион."

"I can't find her."

"Who, дорогой?"

Just then Peter abruptly turned around, crouching into a defensive stance. Standing in the hallway was Clint, Illarias on his shoulder. It looked like Clint got the wind knocked out of him as he held himself even so slightly steady against the wall. Peter shifted and Nat easily read his intend to fight. Semyon whispered in her ear before she could try and soothe him again or potentially restrain him, that someone else was approaching.   
  
"Easy, Peter. It's alright, Kalyca is right here." Besides Bruce, Raakel slowly walked forward. No one understood at first, until Peter gasped and stumbled back in fright. 

"There is no need to be afraid. I know this is confusing and scary, but she is Kalyca. You can still hear her, Peter."

"Peter?"

The soft voice was no doubt that of Kalyca. Everyone watched confused as Peter reached out to Raakel, but rather than touch Raakel -whihc Peter would never do normally- he stopped just inches before her. The avengers slowly came closer to see what was going on and then they saw it. A small, purple colored spider slowly crawled off Raakel's head and onto Peter's hand. He gasped upon contact and tears sprung into his eyes, despite his confusion. 

"Kalyca?"

"It's me."

"How?"

"I think I can explain that." Bruce said as he looked at everyone in the room. "It's the reason I didn't allow anyone in to see Peter. I needed to talk to him first, because of Kalyca."

"You know what's wrong? What has happened?"

"I don't know exactly why or how this has happened, just  _what_ has happened."

"And what is that, exactly?" Tony demanded.

"All I know is that Peters' DNA has been drastically and irrevocably altered. But I do not know how."

Peter looked up at everyone apprehensively, but it was Kalyca who spoke. "We're so busted." 

**Author's Note:**

> Gallery of all current avengers' daemons: [Link](https://www.deviantart.com/selene467/gallery/64644648/Daemons-in-Marvel)  
> 


End file.
